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May reveals how she survived her toughest week as she vows to fight for 'not ideal' Brexit deal

14:15, Saturday, 17 November, 2018

Theresa May today pays tribute to her 'rock' Philip for supporting her through a tumultuous week of resignations, plotting and vicious personal attacks.

In a moving tribute to her loyal husband, she said he felt the pain of the personal abuse she has received from MPs more deeply than she does.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail conducted in her Downing Street study, the Prime Minister revealed Philip poured her a large whisky when she finally finished a five-hour Cabinet meeting that sparked a revolt against her Brexit plans.

He was so enraged by wall-to-wall coverage of rebels laying into her that he had to turn off the televisions at work.

She conceded her Brexit deal was not perfect, but said she deserved credit for ending free movement between Britain and the rest of the EU.

Mrs May's allies yesterday admitted she remains in the danger zone with Downing Street on standby for a possible vote of confidence in her leadership as early as Tuesday.

By yesterday evening, 23 Tory MPs had publicly admitted sending letters of no confidence in Mrs May to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs which polices the leadership rules.

The number is well short of the 48 needed to trigger a no confidence vote.

And Cabinet sources suggested Brexiteer ministers could still quit in the coming days if, as seems likely, Mrs May refuses to renegotiate the deal with Brussels. Foreign Office minister Mark Field urged MPs to stop 'squabbling' and get behind the PM.